This disclosure claims the benefit of U.S. Ser. No. 60/337,246, which was filed Dec. 3, 2001 and which is hereby incorporated by reference.
The present invention relates to a surgical demonstration device, and more particularly, to a kit for demonstrating surgical techniques and methods that use equipment positioned in a particular orientation with respect to an operating room table.
Demonstration devices for medical procedures are helpful in training and educating medical personnel. For example, when surgical companies present a new product, such as a new instrument or a surgical implant, there is a need to demonstrate the surgical procedures for using the product to surgeons, nurses, technicians, students, and any other medical professionals. It is particularly advantageous to demonstrate new surgical techniques in simulated surgical procedures. Surgical company personnel, for instance, may wish to demonstrate new surgical techniques or devices on a workpiece which simulates the portion of the human body where the medical procedure will be performed. Additionally, it is advantageous to provide students with hands-on experience, i.e., operating on simulated body structures when learning surgical procedures. Surgical company representatives, surgeons, students, or other personnel, will benefit from training for new medical procedures with an apparatus tailored to demonstrate the procedures as an important part of any training program.
With respect to training for new techniques and instrumentation, surgeons may be reluctant to depart from a familiar method or technique unless they can be clearly convinced of the superiority of a new instrument or technique. Because demonstrations often take place in exhibition centers, hotel conference rooms, private offices, clinics, operating rooms, university lecture rooms, classrooms, and the like, it is advantageous for the demonstration showing the technique and instruments to be clear and straightforward, without the need for excessive preparation or additional instrumentation. If the demonstration equipment is unstable or difficult to use, it will generally be more difficult to convince surgeons and other medical personnel to undergo further training, and ultimately, to adopt the new procedure.
It is desirable for all of the instruments, implants, etc., required for a successful surgery to be provided or available during demonstration. For example, if the surgical procedure requires mounting clamps on the operating table side rails, it is impracticable to teach the procedure without the operating room side rails, but equally as impracticable to provide an entire operating room table in the demonstration area. Likewise, if the surgical procedure is to be practiced on the vertebral column, but only focuses on, for example, two or three vertebrae, it is advantageous to show the procedure performed on a replica of the actual target site, rather than an entire vertebral column. At the same time, it is desirable to be able to remove the smaller surgical site model from the support to allow closer viewing of the surface either before or after the procedure has been performed.
It is further optimal for the demonstration that is provided to simulate the surgical conditions as closely as possible, including the touch and feel of the instruments as used in relation to the patient's anatomy. Video demonstrations of the procedure and visual demonstrations where the surgeons view the use of the instruments by trained company representatives are helpful, but it is more helpful to provide hands on experience for the surgeons.
In order to provide this hands-on experience, demonstration model assemblies of the area in which the instruments and methods will be used are helpful. Although in some instances it is possible to use cadavers for training, this is expensive and difficult to coordinate. The cadavers must be preserved and transported to each training location, which becomes impracticable. Additionally, there may only be a limited training area or working space to perform a demonstration.
Also, the surgeons or sales representatives may only have a brief period of time in which to teach and/or learn, and therefore, the items used in the demonstrations should be organized and readily available. Because of the convenience, portable models are commonly used for training. Most portable models simulate a particular portion of the patient's body in which the surgical procedure is to be performed. For example, if the surgical site is the vertebral column, a replica of all or a portion of the vertebral column is provided. If the surgical procedure requires access to a particular internal portion of the body, a sample portion of that part of the human body is provided. In order to provide the desired training benefits, it is optimal for the portable models to be large enough to provide a stable surface, similar to a patient's surgical site, without being bulky.
This presents several problems. Sample models that are small tend to be unstable if they are merely reproductions of the actual surgical site, such as a free-standing vertebral column. On the other hand, sample models tend to be bulky if they are configured to represent the entire portion of the human body where the surgical procedure is performed, such as a model of the dorsal part of a human torso, housing the vertebral column. There is a competing interest between stabilizing the demonstration model assembly to allow the surgeon a feel for the actual procedure, while providing a model that is practical for use in a limited surgical demonstration area. Accordingly, there is a need for demonstration model assemblies that balance size and stability considerations.
Once the demonstration model assembly is provided, it is helpful for the surgeon to practice on the demonstration model assembly in a way that mimics the surgical setting. There is a need to be able to consistently reproduce relative surgical conditions during demonstrations or practice sessions. Particularly if the surgery requires specialized equipment used in relation to the operating room table or other surgical element present during surgery, it is helpful for the surgeon to be able to learn and practice using the tools in a sample environment that approximates that of the actual operating theater. For example, if the surgery entails attaching equipment to the operating room table or other structure in the operating field, it is helpful to provide at least that portion of the table or structure during a demonstration or teaching session for a complete presentation. Additionally, due to various space constraints, it is beneficial to provide a replica or simulation of a portion of an operating room table, rather than requiring an actual full-sized operating room table or other surgical element.